Review: Plague Rider – Paroxysm

Everybody’s favourite North East England death merchants Plague Rider, (or at least they should be everybody’s favourite) have returned with their latest slab of high quality heaviosity in the form of new four track EP, ‘Paroxysm’. I like what they’ve done with the startlingly bright cover art, which will always make it stand out in my music library, at least once I get myself a physical copy. It’s up for pay what you will on their Bandcamp page.

After wrecking my neck to their self titled debut, I’ve been looking forward to hearing more from these guys, and ‘Paroxysm’ doesn’t disappoint those who need that raw technical death metal fix in their life. From the crushing start of ‘Retrovirus’ with its retching, void emanation vocals through technical but never shiny riffing. The guitar play is intricate but never overly so, and the bass is satisfying high in the mix. Imagine the technical savvy of Atheist mixed with the raw intensity of early Cannibal Corpse, and you’d be on the right lines.

‘Occidite’ is probably my favourite track, with its bowel rattling riffs and that unhinged savagery that’s showcased in full. Time signatures chop and change in a jarring, disjointed maelstorm of almost grindcore intensity, and it’ll knock you off your feet. ‘Hydrophobe’ opens with this slower, creeping crawl that brings to mind Hooded Menace or Coffins, with almost a sludgy darkness to it, before the pace quickens. Each song is bursting with a bug eyed intensity that threatens to jump out of your speakers and strangle you with some piano wire, particularly in the spine buckling ‘Prion’.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Plague Rider are a shining light in the underground death metal scene in this country. Their sound is uniquely brutal and technical, while raw enough to appeal to people who go for old school stuff. ‘Paroxysm’ should see them go far hopefully. If not, then some label somewhere has already dropped the ball. Buy this and wreck your fucking neck